1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the welding art and more particularly to a welding machine and method for fabricating wire networks.
2. Prior Art
Simply stated, a wire network is a structure comprising two groups of wires which cross one another at intervals and are joined at their crossing points. In the more common wire networks, the wires of each group are parallel and uniformly spaced, and the wires of the two groups are orthogonal to one another. As will appear from the ensuing description, however, this invention encompasses within its scope the fabrication of wire networks with other network wire arrangements.
It will also become apparent from the ensuing description that the welding method and machine of the invention may be utilized to fabricate wire networks for various purposes. One particularly useful application of the invention is fabricating gore shaped wire networks which may be assembled to form a parabolic antenna reflector. The invention will be described in the context of this particular application.
Certain types of directional antennas have a parabolic reflector, commonly referred to as a "dish", and a radiation emitting-receiving element situated at the focal point of the dish. The dish focuses incoming radiation at the antenna element and reflects emitted radiation from the element in the form of a radiation beam. One form of such a parabolic antenna dish has parabolically curved ribs extending radially from a central hub and a wire network gores between and joined along their radial edges to the ribs.
The wire network of each gore has wires extending radially of the gore and other wires orthogonal to the radial wires extending circumferentially or hoopwise of the gore. These radial and hoop wires cross one another and are mechanically and electrically joined at their crossing points. The adjacent gores are electrically connected to one another.